Inner tie-rod and steering rack dust boot replacement

[michaelmiller85]

I'm about to get an alignment done on my 91 Festiva L and noticed that i'm needing new dust boot covers and driver's side inner-tie rod.

I'm wondering what the level of difficultly of replacing my inner-tie rods are? How long of job can i expect?

Where can i get some dust boots for the steering rack?

Thanks!

Michael

[stefan]

FMS has both the boots and the rods. If you look on ebay they often list them at a lower price, pair of rods&boots for like $48

[dahodges]

Good luck on the inner tierods. I could not get mine off. You may want to let the shop do it. Do a search. Someone had the part numbers a couple months ago.

David

[stefan]

eek! really? cause i ordered them and was hoping to replace them

[wrestler3025]

You can do it stefan. Just have a pipe wrench available to get the inner tie rod off. There is a pin in the tie rod that makes it hard to get off, but if you have a pipe wrench, it will pop the pin out when you rotate the tie rod. This is the method that the steering rack remanufacturers use to get tie rods off. I purchased a remanufactured rack, and the one that they sent me had a bad inner rod. I tried for about 4 hours to take it off with a wrench, to no avail. I called them up and this was how they told me to take them off.
Good luck, and if you have any problems just PM me and I will try to walk you through it.
Joe

[cappyg]

to properly do the job, the rack should be taken off so you can hold the rack from turning while removing the inner tie rod. Too much torque on the rack can cause damage to the pinion. If you need to do it on the car, have someone hold the rack steady with a pipe wrench with cardboard around it so as not to scratch the surface of the rack. The inner tie rod will come off will a lil umph, and be sure to install the new pin or put locktite on the threads to hold it in place. Ketch Yawl later.

[michaelmiller85]

Thanks for the help, i will be doing it this week and will post any further questions.

Michael

[wrestler3025]

You DON'T need to remove the rack in order to do the job properly. Just use constant force with the pipe wrench when taking the tie rod off. Separating the steering linkage from the rack is a tedious task with the rubber boot that is over it. Just be cautious and apply contiuous pressure with the pipe wrench.

[stefan]

bah, i just started this project and im not having much luck
how is the pin supposed to pop out? and what do you mean use a pipe wrench? use it on the rod itself? i was trying a wrench on hex part on the ball joint

[wrestler3025]

The pin will pop up when you rotate the inner tie rod. Just put the pipe wrench at the base where the tie rod end screws onto the steering rack. Oh yeah...make sure you dont put the pipe wrench over tie pin hole:-) Using a wrench on the hex part won't work. That is what I did and struggled for HOURS!!!! I do mean hours, because I am stubborn. Use the pipe wrench on the round part...right at the base.

[stefan]

Ok, i got 1 off. i put a wrench on it from below, put my legs under the car, grabbed onto the swaybar and steadily put all my weight against it. (foot on wrench) and it broke free. But the pin is still stuck in there... dunno if i'll be able to replace it.
The only other thing im worried about is the FMS rods are about 1/4" longer. Im not sure what the best way is to put the the tie rod ends on the new rods close so i can drive it to get an alignment. The ends were on the old rods 14.5 turns, but since the new rods are longer i guess that will throw everything off.

[wrestler3025]

Just try to get it as close as possible. Once you get it to the shop they will take care of it during the alignment. I would look at the old inner tie rods and put them up to the new ones and screw the outer tie rod in according to the old one's rust line:-)

[stefan]

what do you seguest to put the new boots on? hose clamps?

[roycehof]

I think nylon tie wrap will work pretty well

[TominMO]

Resurrecting this thread as being very useful for me now.....